Spindle-holding means



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 //V VEN TOR 87M BY A TTORNFY W. N. SAWYER SPINDLE HOLDING MEANS Filed Jan. l5 1924 Sept. 16 1924.

Sept. 16 1924.

W. N. SAWYER SPINDLE HOLDING MEANS 2 Sheets-Shaml 2 Filed Jan.

@MM2 9g ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 16, 19124.

UNITE WILLARD N. SAWYER, GF `VifINCIIEN'I)ON, MASSACHUSETTS, SSGNDE T() BAXTERD. WHITNEY & SON, INC., OF VIINCHENDON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

SPINDLE-HOLDING IVIEANS.

Application filed January 15, 1924-.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, VILLARD N. SAWYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Winchendon, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Spindle-Holding Means, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is aV specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to machines employing a tool driving spindle, and more particularly to means for holding the spindle from rotating while a tool is being applied to or removed fromthe Spindle.

In various wood and metal working machines driving spindles are employed and are provided with means for removably securing a cutting tool lto the spindle. A threaded construction is commonly employed for removably securing the tool to Vits spindle, and in tightening up or loosening the threaded means, it is usually necessary toy hold the spindle from rotation while force is applied to the thread means to rotate the same to or from the tool clamping positions. Y Heretofore it has been customary to provide tool operating spindles of the type above mentioned with a slot or hole extending transversely thru the spindle and adapted to receive a bar which is inserted to prevent rotation of the spindle while a tool is being secured to or removed from the spindle. This means of preventing rotation of the spindle is open to the objection that the machine attendant often forgets to remove the bar before applying the driving power to the spindle, and if the spindle is beltdriven, the failure to lremove the holding bar may do nothing worse than bend or break the bar, but if the spindle is electrically driven the driving motor may be burnt out by applying the current when the spindle is locked against rotation.

Having the above matters in mind, an important feature of the present invention resides in means that may be easily moved into holding engagement with a tool operating spindle, and which will move automatically out of engagement with the spindle as soon as released so that all danger of applying power to the spindle before the holding means is removed is-avoided.

Serial No. 686,338.

Another feature of the invention resides in a treadle associated with the spindle holding means whereby the machine attendant may use his foot to move the holding means into its spindle locking position.

Other features of the invention in additionto the above will be hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings which .illustrate one good prac-tical form thereof. i I

1n the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a wood-cutting machine having the present invention associated therewith.

` Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of Fig. 1, thework supporting table being` omitted; and

Fig. -8 is a perspective view of the lowerv portion of the machine spindle and associate holding means.

The spindle holding means of the present invention may be used upon various different types of machines employing aV tool operatingl spindle, and may be used incOnneC- tion with spindles driven by belt, electric motor or other means, but is illustrated in the drawings as associated with the driving spindle of a wood Shaper.

In thev drawings is shown the cutter operating portion and work supporting table of a wood Shaper; and the cutter head 10 is operatively secured to the vertical spindle V11 which is rotatably mounted in suitable bearings within the casing 12. The casing 12 is shown as slidably secured to an upright portion 13 of the supporting frame and has oppositely .extending flanges 14 that engage the dove-tail slide-way of the upright 13. rThe construction -is such that the casing 12 may be moved up or down to kvary the position of the cutter head 10 relative to the worlr 15 resting upon the work supporting table 16. The spindlell is shown as driven by an electric motor 1"(k enclosedl within the casing 12 but the earlier types of wood Shaper are commonly driven by a belt.

AThe cutter 10 illustrated consists of ai.

short shaft 18 provided with 'the spaced washers 19 and 2O between which the cut-A ter blades 21 are clamped, and the lower end of the shaft 18 has a threadedsocket adapted to receive the threaded end 22 of the spindle 11.. rlhe arrangement'is such that the cutter head 1G may be readily secured to the spindle 1l by screwingthe head l0 on to the threaded spindle end 22. The construction so described Jiorms no part 'of the present invention, but will serve to nalre clear one form of tool-driving spindle with which the present invention may be associated.

As above stated cutting tools are commonly secured to their operating spindle by a threaded connection, and it is necessary. to hold the spindle from rotation while the threaded means is being tightened up or backed oli'. rlhe present invention is directed to a novel construction for holding thc spindle from rotating, which will .now be described.

ln the construction shown the lower end oit the spindle ll has its opposite sides cut away Vto form flat faces adapted to be engaged and held by spaced jaws to be described. rlhe casing "l2 in the construction shown has spaced lugs 24 at its lower end between which lever Q5 is pivot-ally secured by a pin 26, and the inwardly extending end of this lever is constructed to term a wrench or socket 2T having the spaced jaws 28 to receive the iiat faces 23 of the spindle therebetween.

rlhe lever 25 is constructed so that its spindle-engaging end will normally lie out olf engagement with the spindle ll, as shown, but may be moved into engagement with the spindle by rockin g the lever upwardly about its pivot pin 26. lt is desirable that the construction be such that the spindle holding means will move automatically out of engagement with the spindle as soon as the holding means is released, and in the construction shown the portion 27 of the lever is made relatively heavy so that it will move downwardly by gravity as soon as released.

ln the construction shown the spindleholding means is located at the lower end o1" the casing l2 and is preferably provided with a treadle 29 adapted to be engaged by the foot of the machine attendant, the arrangement being such that when a cutter head l0 is to be pplied to or removed from the spindle` ll the machine attendant presses on the treadlc 29 to hold the inner end et the llever 2o in locking engagement with the spindle while a turning torce is being ei;- erted upon the head lO, and as soon as the attendant removes his toot from the treadle 29 the leve-r rockets automatically to its inactive position to release the spindle. Roeliing movement of the inner end oi the lever 25 downwardly may be limited by a lug 30 and if desired rocking movement oit this lever in the opposite direction may be limited by a projection 3l that may contact with the floor upon which the machine rests.

YWhat is claimed is l. In combination with a machine having a vertical spindle for operating a tool,

means for holding the'spindle 'from rotating while -a tool is being secured to or removed trom the spindle, comprising a lever pivotally mounted near the lower end ol the spindle and constructed to form a wrench adapted to be swung into holding engagement with the lower end ot the spindle 'the lever is rocked.

2. ln combination with a machine having an upright spindle for operating a tool, means tor holding the spindle from rotating, comprising a lever `Jivotally mounted` and constructed to form a wrench positioned to be swung into holding engagement with the spindle as the lever is rocked in one direction by the machine attendant and constructed to swing automatically out ot engagement with the spindle when released by the machine attendant.

3. ln combination with a machine having an upright spindle tor operating a tool, means :for holding the spindle from rotating while a tool is being secured to or removed from the spindle, comprising a lever constr-noted to form a wrench and mounted so that upward rocking movement of the lever moves the wrench into holding engagement with the spindle, and the wrench end of the lever being suilicientlv heavy to cause the rcnch to move out ol engagement with the spindle upon the lever being released.

Il. ln combination with a machine having an upright spindle for operating a tool, means for holding the spindle from rotating while a tool is being secured to or removed roin the spindle, comprising a lever constructed to form a wrench and mounted so that the lever may be rocked to move the wrench into holding engagement with the spindle, a foot treadle connected to the lever so that pressure u Jon the foot treadle moves the wrench into holding engagement with the spindle, and the lever beingconstructed and arranged to move the wrench automatically out oro engagement .iith the spindle when pressure upon the footv treadle is removed.

5. ln combination with a. maching having an upright spindle for operating a tool, means 'for holding' the spindle from rotating while a tool is being secured to or removed from the spindle, comprising flattened faces formed upon the opposite sides of the spindle and a lever mounted upon the machine frame for movement into and out of engagement with the spindle and provided with spaced jaws adapted to engage the flattened 1laces and hold the spindle from rotating, and means 'for automatically moving the lever out ot engagement with the spindle.

6. ln combination with a machine having an upright spindle for operating a tool, means for holding the spindle from rotating, comprising flattened taces formed upon the opposite sides of the spindle at its lower end, a lever pivotally supported near the lower end of the spindle and provided with spaced jaws adapted to engage said iiattened faces and hold the spindle from rotation when the lever is rocked into spindle engaging position, a foot treadle for rocking the lever to spindle engaging position,

and the spindle engaging end of the lever being sutliciently heavy to cause it to move automatically out of engagement with the spindle when pressure is relieved from the foot treadle.

7. In combination with a machine having a spindle for operating a tool, means for holding the spindle from rotating while a tool is being secured to or removed :tro-m the spindle, comprising a lever having spaced jaws at its inner end and pivotally mounted so that the lever may be rocked in one ldirection to move the jaws into engagement with the spindle to hold the spindle against rotation and the lever being adapted to move automatically out of engagement with the spindle when released.

8. In combination with a machine having a spindle for operating a tool, means for holding the spindle from rotation while a tool is being secured to or removed from the spindle, comprising a non-circular portion provide-d upon the spindle, and a lever having a spindle engaging portion constructed to conform to said non-circular portion and the lever being pivotally mounted so that it may be rocked in one direction to move its end into holding engagement with the spindle and adapted to move automatically out of holding engagement with the spindle when released.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

VVILLARD N. SAWYER. 

